Textes de Baillie Tolkien, Alan Lee, Leo Carruthers*, Thomas Honegger, Christine Laferrière*, Damien Bador*, Vivien Stocker*, Isabelle Pantin*, Richard Ovenden, Jean-Philippe Qadri*, Chris Smith, Laurence Lebourg*, Lucas Zembrzuski*, Vincent Ferré* (*traduction de Sam Ferguson)
16 photos by Christopher Tolkien*; HarperCollins Publishers, 19 Nov. 2026, 304 p.
1 Baillie Tolkien, Preface: “Christopher’s Worlds”
2 Vincent Ferré, “Christopher Tolkien: revealing, unveiling, inventing… the world”
Part I
3 Thomas Honegger, “Between Fathers and Sons: The Presence of Christopher in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Fictional Works”
4 Leo Carruthers, “From Théoden to Beorhtnoth: The Old English Heroic Tradition as a Link Between Father and Son”
5 Jean-Philippe Qadri, “‘Well – Start Writing a Story!’ or How to Resist the Mechanisation of the Imagination”
Part II “Christopher Tolkien: Artist and Writer”
6 Laurence Lebourg, “Christopher Tolkien and the Maps of Middle-earth: Between Fidelity and Reinvention,”
7 Vivien Stocker, “Christopher Tolkien and the Challenge of the Silmarillion: Chapter 22 and the Rediscovered Letter”
8. Lucas Zembrzuski, “Unfinished Tales: A Turning Point in Christopher Tolkien’s Literary Career”
9 Damien Bador, “Christopher Tolkien and the Elvish Languages: Five Decades of Work”
12 Isabelle Pantin,“Journeys through Time and Mysterious Transitions from History to Legend and Myth: An Investigation Following the Ariadne’s Thread Prepared by Christopher Tolkien”
Part III
13 Alan Lee, “Christopher Tolkien”
14 Christine Laferrière, “All is as it is”
15 Chris Smith, “In Memory of Christopher Tolkien”
16 Richard Ovenden, Bodley medal award speech (May 2017)
17 Envoy: Vincent Ferré “For Christopher”
*All pictures prepared for publication by Séverine Besnard, © e-Dantès.
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This book contains testimonials and studies about the man who not only edited thousands of pages of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work, and mapped out his universe, but who is revealed here as a writer and artist in his own right.
Christopher Tolkien would have turned 100 on November 21, 2024. He is best known for having brought to light the world invented by his father through the twenty or so books that he published; however, this volume presents studies on the works he co-authored (including The Silmarillion) without ever seeking the limelight; analyses of maps of Middle-earth unknown to the general public because they were kept in his archives; and exceptional accounts from Baillie Tolkien (who stood by his side for 54 years, throughout the publication of his works); from illustrator Alan Lee, from his publisher Chris Smith… Christopher Tolkien lived life to the fullest in our world, where he was passionate about plants, butterflies, and architecture. A former fighter pilot during World War II, a student and later a professor at Oxford, he was also an amateur photographer: a notebook containing 16 photographs sheds new light on his love of the natural world
Vincent Ferré, a professor in general and comparative literature at Université Sorbonne Nouvelle (Paris III), has published several books on J.R.R. and Christopher Tolkien (Sur les Rivages de la Terre du Milieu, 2001; Lire J.R.R. Tolkien, 2014; ed.: Tolkien, Trente ans après, 2004; Tolkien aujourd’hui, 2011; Europe, 2016 ; Voyage en Terre du Milieu, 2019)
He co-translated Tolkien’s Letters in 2005 and The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook by Alan Lee in 2006; before translating A Tapestry for Tolkien by Cor Blok in 2011 and Tolkien’s Treasures by Catherine McIlwaine in 2018, followed by The Hobbit Sketchbook (Alan Lee, 2020). He has supervised the French translations of the works of J.R.R. and Christopher Tolkien for twenty years, until 2022. He curated the Tolkien exhibition at the National Library of France in 2019–2020 and edited & wrote the catalogue). He has written several textes and supervised all translations appearing on the original version of the Tolkien Estate website. Since 2020, he is the advisor to the literary executors of the Estate of Christopher Tolkien. He has also published works on Proust and medievalism.
‘What is The Worlds of Christopher Tolkien about?
This brand new celebration of J.R.R. Tolkien’s son and literary executor, The Worlds of Christopher Tolkien sheds light on the worlds in which Christopher Tolkien lived and wrote, illuminated by essays from academics, colleagues, friends and family.
The enchanting tales of Middle-earth within J.R.R. Tolkien’s iconic works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, have captivated millions, yet the life of his son, Christopher Tolkien – described by his father as ‘his chief critic and collaborator’ – offers a rich narrative of its own.
Appointed by J.R.R. Tolkien to be his literary executor, Christopher devoted four decades to preserving his father’s legacy by unearthing and completing those works left unpublished on his death, most notably his father’s masterwork, The Silmarillion.
The Worlds of Christopher Tolkien illuminates the intricate tapestry of his scholarly life and literary contributions, presenting a collection of insightful essays from esteemed academics, colleagues, friends, and family, including an exclusive foreword by his wife, Baillie Tolkien. The fifteen essays deftly intertwine the legacies of father and son, revealing Christopher’s profound impact on J.R.R. Tolkien’s enduring legacy. They delve into his exploration of the Old English heroic tradition as a vital connection between their worlds alongside his artistic vision in crafting the maps of Middle-earth. Throughout this collection, his deep love for nature, passion for academia, and joy in both the natural and imagined realms resonate powerfully.
This landmark celebration, marking Christopher’s centenary year, reveals his pivotal role in ensuring that his father’s work would continue to be read and enjoyed into the twenty-first century, as well as his own creative endeavours as a writer and artist, and presents heartfelt tributes from those who loved him to his own remarkable legacy, and the worlds that continue to inspire generations of readers and scholars alike’